Means for supporting and working heads of range-finders.



' A. BARR & W. STROUD.

MEANS FOR SUPPORTING AND WORKING HEADS 0F RANGE FINDBRS. APPLICATION IILED JUNE 19, 1909.

943,296 7 Patented Dec. 14, 1909.

I F1 E11 J H Hd t the p for use on board-ship for navigational and I porting and Working Heads of readily bearin following 'is a specification.

' mmm BABE AND WILLIAM STBOUD, ANNIESLAND, GLASGOW, SCOTLAND.

,mnms ron SUPPORTING AND WORKING HEADS or RANGE-FINDERS.

To all whom it may concern:

,Beit known that we, AncHIBALD BARR and WILLIAM S'r oUo, subjectsof the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and both of Caxton street, Anniesland, Glasgow, Scotland,'have invented new and useful Improvements in or. Connected with Means for Sup- Range-Finders, (for which we have made application for a'patent in Great Britain, No. 13,813,

date June 30, I908) of which the This invention relates to improvements in sin 1e observer rangefinders, more especia l to instruments of small size for use in field for military or other purposes, and

other services, but is not necessarily confined to such, and refers to handles, and in some" cases supports for the rangefinder, pro ecting downward from the underside of the instrument associated with a working head or heads located ad jacentto one or both of the handles. w

In the accompanyin drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional plan 0 a rangefinder of a known general type introduced for reference in describing, by way of example, the application of improvements according to this invention, and Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view thereof. Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are views illustrating handles, supports, and working heads.

The rangefinder illustrated at Figs. 1 and 2, comprises an outer. casing A, carrying end reflectors B, B, of the optical square type and eyepieces C, C, directed at ri ht angles to the baselength of the rangefin er, and D designates an inner frame supported within the casing A, preferably in sucha manner that it will not be sensibly deformed by forcesapplied to the outer casing during use. The inner frame carries at its ends objectives E, E, and near its center eyepiece prisms F, and is fitted with a deflecting prism G.

. In the form of construction illustrated at Figs. 3 and 4, two downwardly projecting handles H H are provided for attachment as desired to the outer casing positioned on opposite sidesof the eye-pieces C, C one of which H may be placed adjacent to a working head J so that the working head may be accessible to the forefinger or forefinger and thumb of the right hand-of an operator holding the instrument by the handles. The working head J may be provided Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 14,

Application filed June 19,1909. Serial F0. 503,045.

to the type of 1nstrument illustrated at F i s. land 2, and the other handle H may, for example, be positioned adjacent to a finger lever working head J see Fi s. 3 and 4, profor operating a range indicating scale and l the deflectlng prism G in amanner common vided for the actuation o astigmatizing I lenses, or other or additional working heads may be provided and positioned near the handles for operating-adjustments common to single observer rangefinders. The handles mayrest on the ground for the support of the instrument when the observer lies prone. In providing means for supporting a ran efinder according to this invention the hand es may, ,insome cases, be furnished with extensions I-I adjustable in length as required, which are adapted to be restedon the ground, and are convenient for use when the observer kneels, or sits.

If desired the extensions H may be supported in pockets attached to a belt or to shoulder straps, and thus they enable an observer while standing or sitting to hold the instrument more steadily than is found possible when the instrument is merely held in the hands. I

Figs. 4 and 5 show amodification of the mounting in which the rangefinder is supported in forks H to which a single rod H" may be attached. In the form shown at Fig.

5 the rod H is furnished with an extension H adapted to be rested on the ground or other support, or it may rest in a pocket attached to the observers belt or shoulder -straps. In the form shown at Fig. 4, the rod H is provided at its foot with a fitting H, (conveniently made in 'conicalform) ar-' ranged to rest in a seating H which may be attached to a rail on board ship, or to some other support. springs H which clip under the lower edge of H so as to prevent the mounting from being accidentally removed from H. When it is desired to remove the mounting the springs H are pressed inward so that they may be withdrawn upward through the hollow of H being accidentally removed from the forks H any suitable arrangement of catch maybe used, ,such, for example as straps not shown in the drawing, passing over the easing, or the faces of H may have grooves into which tongues H see Fig. 3, attached to the casing may pass, and from whichtlie casing will only be relieved when the range- The part 1-1 may-have To prevent the rangefinder moved in observing finder is turned about its axis through a greater angle than that to which it is usually upon objects at different heights. i

What we do claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination with a rangefinder having eye-pieces at its center directed at right angles to its base length, of two handles projecting downward from the under-side of the rangefinder and positioned on opposite sides of the eye-pieces, in association with a working head located on the under-side of the rangefinder between one of the handles and the eye-pieces and ad jacent to the said handle, for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination with a rangefinder having eye-pieces at its center directed at right angles to its base len th, of two handles projecting downward from the under-side of the rangefinder and positioned on opposite sides of the eye-pieces, in association with working heads located on the under-side of the rangefinder between thehandles and the eye-pieces and adjacent to the handles, for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination with a rangefinder having eye-pieces at its center directed at right angles to its base len th, of two handles projecting downwar V from the outer casing of the rangefinder and positioned on opposite sides of the eye-pieces, in association with a cylindrical working head located on the under-side ofthe rangefinder between one of'the handles and the eye-pieces mounted to rotate about an axis approximately parallel with and adjacent to the said handle, for the purposes set forth.

a 4. The combination with a rangefinder having eye-pieces-at its center directed at' right angles to its base length, of two handles projecting downward from the outer casing of the rangefinder and posis tioned on opposite sides of the eye-pieces,

in association with a working head located on the under-side of the rangefinder between one of the handles and ing having eye-pieces at its center directed at right angles to its base length,. of two handles projecting downward from' the outer casing of the rangefinder and positioned on oppositesidesof the eye-pieces,

in association with working heads located on the under-side of the rangefinder between the handles and the eye-pieces and adjacent to the handles, together with means for supporting the rangefinder, for the purposes set forth.

6. The combination with a rangefinder having eye-pieces at its center directed at right angles to its base length, of two handles projecting downward from the outer casing ofthe rangefinder and positioned on opposite sides of the eye-pieces, in association with a working head located on the under-side of the rangefinder between the eye-pieces and adjacent to the said handle, the handles beprovided with extensions adjustable in length, for the purposes set forth.

7. The combination with a rangefinder having eye-pieces at its center directed at right angles to its base length, of two handles projecting downward from the outer casing of the rangefinder and positioned on opposite sides of the eye-pieces, in association with working heads located onthe under-side of the rangefinder between the handles and the eye-pieces and adjacent tothe handles, the handles being provided with extensions adjustable in length, for the purposes set 'forth.

In testimony whereofwe have signed our names to this specification in the prcsence'of two subscrlbing witnesses.

ARCHIBALD BARR. WILLIAM STROUD. Witnesses O. H. PORTER, GEO. H; STEVENSON. 

